A bunch of headless chooks

Whether you’re enjoying it on the go or as a hunger-fix after a big night out, it seems there’s always an excuse to jump on board Melbourne’s latest food craze and indulge in a tasty piece of fried chicken.

With restaurants and take-away stores popping up all over the city, Korean and Taiwanese-style fried chicken is an increasingly growing trend.

A popular stop for a chicken fix, Hot Star Fried Chicken, offers an on-the-go experience like no other. Dusted with red pepper and served as a 30cm take-away snack, Hot Star is “the creator of the larger than palm-sized crispy chicken”. Owner of the Taiwanese chain, Kyle Lam, believes the chicken frenzy began with the adventurous taste buds of Melburnians.

“Melbourne has an insatiable appetite for fried chicken. Gone are the day’s where KFC is the only choice for fried chicken with Melbourne’s food scene becoming much more dynamic,” he said. “We spotted a gap in the market for a unique food experience.”

With Swanston St slowly becoming the take-away fried chicken hub of the city, other local venues on Lonsdale St and King St are offering a more relaxed, sociable experience.

Korean style beer and chicken bar, Gami Chicken, is a popular destination for after work drinks and a side of succulent, finger lickin’ chooks. With three venues in the CBD, Gami Chicken has the city well covered and they also offer home delivery. Unlike the American way of cooking, Gami fries the chicken twice in order to make the skin crunchy and less greasy.

Mr Big Stuff on Myers Place offers soul food with an American twist of huge piles of fried chicken, black eyed peas and collard greens heaped onto trays. Do try the ‘cold pressed kool-aid’ made with fresh juices and a wide-range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic iced teas.